See kp's new high-performance alternative to roll-on shrink-on and paper labels. Now you can show off your product with full-body, multiple-contoured coverage and superior graphics for maximum shelf appeal.

Klöckner Pentaplast

The packaging you choose does make a difference. Introducing Choose Cartons, a campaign that encourages consumers to think past the contents in a package and think about the package itself. The initiative also gives consumers the chance to share the benefits of cartons and help raise $15,000 for Habitat for Humanity.

Tripack

Updated! We've picked the brains of leading packaging experts to bring you this must-have PDF e-book. In addition to extensive updates to our 2011 knowledge base, we've added an all-new section on sustainability. We cut through the hype and show you what you should be focusing on when it comes to sustainability.

The new 'pour-tastic,' 'store-mazing' square bottle from SunnyD

"Pourgonomic," "store-rific," and "bling-friendly": These are just a few of the tongue-in-cheek adjectives applied to the new 1-gallon SunnyD citrus punch bottle in new TV advertising that places the focus "squarely" on the new packaging. In development since mid-2009, the new rectangular-shaped container, designed to be easier to pour and easier to store, is a prime example of a new trend toward greater thoughtfulness in package design, says Peter Clarke, CEO and founder of design and innovation firm Product Ventures.

"Here is such a mindset change," says Clarke, who led the structural development of the new SunnyD bottle for Cincinnati-based Sunny Delight Beverages Co. "Historically, everyone viewed packaging as an expense. Now it's truly starting to be viewed by brand owners as an investment in their product offerings. I am really excited for our industry."

The goal of the redesign of SunnyD's existing round gallon bottle—introduced in 1993 to provide consumers with a larger container size—was to address a number of ergonomic and marketing challenges presented by the design, explains Rick Zimmerman, senior vice president of marketing and innovation for SDBC. "We wanted to square-up the bottle so that we could use a registered label that would face forward," he says. "We also wanted to retain the key iconic design features that consumers associate with Sunny D: the neck angle and fluting. And, we wanted to improve the ergonomics related to the handle fit and pourability."

Following ergonomic breakdown studies, iterative modeling, internal hypothesis testing, and consumer testing by Product Ventures, a new "squared-up" bottle structure incorporating the iconic SunnyD brand equities was developed that also provides for greater efficiencies and cost savings within the supply chain.

INTELLIGENCE ON DESIGN

Evolving your packaging makes ROI sense

Packaging plays a crucial role in a brand's success. Packaging design can often make the difference in a consumer choosing one product over the other.

What makes your product stand out? Does it have a unique or memorable design? While the ROI of a package's design can be difficult to measure, the cost of not refreshing your packaging can be more expensive than actively managing it over time.

Below are a few ideas that can help you get the most out of your brand's package design:

Packaging shouldn't be a one-off project. Packaging plays a key role in defining your brand and driving relevance in this fast-paced market. Revitalizing a brand's packaging presents opportunities for new and established brands to break out of the clutter and let their identity shine. Don't think of refreshing your packaging as a project with an end date; instead, the "evolution of packaging" should be a regular conversation and strategic choice as your brand strategy evolves.

Ground your brand in its core. Redesigning a package requires brands to be very clear about their ownable equities (and those they wish to own) so they can remain consistent at the core and drive consumer relevance at the same time. Getting help from a branding or packaging firm can help identify and strengthen ownable equities. Whether this includes evolving your brandmark or just those equities that bring your products' benefits to life, partners can help you stay true to your brand's core while injecting fresh elements into it.

Custom container brings IHOP experience home

For Philadelphia-based branded products developer and marketer Sorbee Intl. LLC, the opportunity to launch a new syrup product into the retail market under the IHOP breakfast restaurant-chain name was a golden opportunity. "The product was developed because of the power of the IHOP brand name," says Sorbee CEO Daniel Werther. "There has not been a new entrant into the syrup category for many years, and what better name to gain a foothold in the category than IHOP? The name indexes perfectly with syrup."

But the IHOP brand equity proved both a blessing and a burden. The chain's clean glass syrup dispensers are an integral part of the restaurant experience, so the new retail package had to evoke the in-restaurant version. But the bottle, with its glass construction, tapered round shape, free-floating handle, and open-spout cap, were anything but shelf- and home pantry-friendly.

In March 2010, Sorbee sought assistance from Studio One Eleven Design, a division of Berlin Packaging, for the creation of a 12- and 24-oz syrup package for five flavor varieties of IHOP at Home that could replicate the restaurant dispenser design while meeting retail requirements. "Aesthetically, the package had to resemble the look of the handled syrup dispensers found in IHOP restaurants, deliver a consistent, glug-free pour, and remain clean after pouring," explains Studio One Eleven senior packaging consultant Walter A. Kresse.

Marcus Hewitt of Dragon Rouge and Will Burke of CB'a Brand Engine, Lisa Baer of Baer Design Group and Rob Wallace of Wallace Church help us recap the structural innovations of some Beverage Roundtable favorites...

Package Gallery

A closer look at the newest trends in today's packaging.

For the back-to-school season, Kraft has partnered with Crayola for a joint promotion that disrupts the string-cheese shelf with limited-edition packaging that turns Kraft and Polly-O brand string-cheese pouches into colorful crayon boxes. The new packaging will be stocked on store shelves from July through October 2012 and includes a $3 coupon for Crayola products, as well as a link to printable activity pages. Package graphics for the pouch and for the individual cheese-stick film wrappers were created by SoulSight® to replicate the appearance of a crayon box full of crayons. Primary packaging is reverse flexo-printed with the image of a crayon in one of six Crayola colors on each individual cheese stick. The outer pouch packaging is decorated to imitate a Crayola crayon box, with the iconic yellow background and pattern of green diagonal lines at the bottom. A clear film window in the center of the package lets the colorful "crayons" show through.

PepsiCo's Mountain Dew is aiming to quench the thirst of consumers with a new can that is one-third larger than their traditional 12-oz offering. And to help capture consumers' attention, the can features color-changing artwork aimed at the brand's target audience nationwide. The limited-edition 16-oz can of Mountain Dew, when chilled to 46.4° F, features an easily recognizable symbol—a bat outline, promoting the feature film The Dark Knight Rises—that transforms itself to the distinctive green color of Mountain Dew, using specialized inks from Chromatic Technologies, Inc. The cans of Mountain Dew will be available for several months in the U.S. and are the result of design work initiated by Mountain Dew. Says the brand's art director, Mike Gottschalk, "We felt the use of thermochromic inks on these special cans would help drive purchases for our beverages. Innovation in packaging design enhances the credibility of the brand: Graphics are one thing, but interesting inks and structural innovation provide a whole new meaning to our successful brand marketing efforts."

The design for Oat Works, an all-natural fruit and oat smoothie distributed in the U.K., uses vibrant color to reinforce the ingredients in each of the three flavors and emphasize the great taste cues. The background pack color is a beige tone to highlight the core oat benefits of the brand. Similarly, the oat is championed in the "O" of the Oat Works identity and on the bottle's clousre. The ingredients of each variant are also brought to life through shapes inspired by the contours of oats. The heart icon on the front of the pack draws attention to the natural and heart healthy properties of the product, providing consumers with the information they need to know about Oat Works' health benefits.
Tess Wicksteed, strategy director at Pearlfisher, the package designer, comments, "Our task was to take oats to the next level, showing that Oat Works delivers all of the benefits but none of the bores. The design moves away from current oat cliches, using bold, rich, and modern typography. We have communicated the smoothness and taste of Oat Works through vibrant, fruity colors and icons that reflect flavor. A future-focused design for next-generation oats!"

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